


The original ficlet from 2016 that spawned the 20k fic

by allthingspieandhockey (SunMonTue)



Series: Skating Skates AU [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Jack has a little sister, M/M, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24188140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunMonTue/pseuds/allthingspieandhockey
Summary: Alicia and Bob end up having another kid (long story short, Alicia thought it was menopause, it wasn’t, it was Jack’s little sister). Jack dotes on her, and she totally has him wrapped around her little 5-year-old finger. She wants skating lessons, and of course when Jack offers she rolls her eyes and scoffs.“No, I want proper skating lessons. I don’t want to play hockey.”
Relationships: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann
Series: Skating Skates AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745719
Comments: 1
Kudos: 62





	The original ficlet from 2016 that spawned the 20k fic

**Author's Note:**

> This is an 'ficlet' that I wrote several years ago and only posted to my tumblr. I have since made it into a much longer fic which is the first part of this series - this is just the appendix, or reference material - here for background.
> 
> (It is posted word for word what was on tumblr, so there are inconsistencies which make me cringe but I am leaving them... see how many you can spot...)

Alicia and Bob end up having another kid (long story short, Alicia thought it was menopause, it wasn’t, it was Jack’s little sister). Jack _dotes_ on her, and she totally has him wrapped around her little 5-year-old finger. She wants skating lessons, and of course when Jack offers she rolls her eyes and scoffs.

“ _No_ , I want _proper_ skating lessons. I don’t want to play _hockey_.”

Jack is equal parts amused and a little hurt, because _hockey,_ but he gets over it and next time he’s at Faber he asks about skating lessons. Some of his teammates overhear and boy the amount of chirping he gets is ridiculous. He says it’s for his sister, and then they all understand, but it doesn’t stop the chirping.

Tater lets him know he has a friend of a friend that might be able to help, and Jack is like ‘'that doesn't sound above board” but Tater assures him it is “all good” and Jack agrees to go along with it (Tater’s never steered him wrong before and dotes on Annelise almost as much as Jack does.)

It doesn’t happen straight away, much to Annelise’s disapproval, but Tater tells her she is getting nothing but the best, and refuses to answer Jack’s question about what he means by that exactly. So it’s summer, and rather than being in Montreal he’s back in Providence with his parents and little sister because Tater (who is back in Russia) has told him that it’s _all organised._ What does that even MEAN??? (Tater refuses to answer).

Jack takes Annelise to the rink, and for the first time in his life he’s off-footed, uncomfortable being at the rink, waiting for some unknown _person_ that Tater assures him will meet him there. Of course that’s when Annelise’s excited squeals make him wonder about the integrity of his ear drums and there are a couple of people walking toward him. (Tater has booked the rink so he knows they have to be the right people).

They look _vaguely_ familiar, and Annelise is _bouncing_ on her feet, clapping her hands, and the couple are grinning at her, and then introducing themselves and Jack is feeling all types of awkward. Marina Orlov and Eric Bittle. He knows why they’re familiar now, they’re both Olympic medalists for their countries, and he’s watched a lot of figure skating with Annelise because she is _obsessed_. (Not that Jack can throw stones, at least she’s obsessed with something to do with the ice).

Jack is glad for Annelise’s immediate excited babble about how much she _loves_ them and “can you teach me how to jump _really_ high???” Marina is explaining that she’s Tater’s cousin (”Uncle Tater is so cool! Better than Uncle Shitty!”), that it’s nice to meet him and then she’s lacing up and helping Annelise with her skates and they’re heading out onto the ice and Jack is just _standing there_ , feeling completely useless but his sister is _so happy_ that he can’t help but smile while he’s watching.

Then he remembers that Eric BIttle is there and he turns away from the ice and Eric Bittle is _looking at him_. (Jack is not sure if he’s imagining the naked appreciation or whether it’s wishful thinking on his part). Jack blushes regardless and realises he hasn’t said anything, finally introduces himself and Bittle does this kind of amused half-smirk and murmurs “ _I know_ ”, and Jack wonders what the hell _that_ means. 

Eric is then pulling out his own skates and Jack wonders if he should put his on, because this is really Annelise’s time and he doesn’t want to crowd it but she skates past, waving him on and he can’t help grinning and putting his skates on quickly.

He skates lazily, slowly, watching as his kid sister is taught the basics. She’s got the same steely determination to keep practicing until she gets it right, and just keeps getting up each time she falls or takes a landing badly. Eric is doing slow laps, and Jack can’t help but admire him - knows how much coiled strength is hidden in Bittle’s body.

The impromptu lesson goes on for over an hour and in that time he gets to talk to Bittle a bit as they skate laps together and he wants to keep talking to him, keep enjoying his company, and his kid sister and parents are staying with him so he’s kind of screwed.

“Did you want to get dinner?” Apparently he’s going to ask anyway.

“Uh...” Bittle looks like he has no idea what to say, or rather, how to say no without offending him.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable, I just didn’t think an NHL player would want to be seen in public with an openly-gay figure skater.”

Jack frowns, because he hadn’t thought of that, and it’s not like he cares, he’s out to his team and friends ( _finally_ ) and has been thinking of coming out publicly as bisexual for the last seven months, has all the PR set in place just waiting for him to say the word for George to release a statement, he’d just never had a _reason_ before. Dinner with Eric Bittle in public as an actual date seems like a perfect reason. (Not that he really needs one, but his anxiety wars with the logical side of him constantly).

“I want to be seen in public with you. Uh. I need to make a call.”

He leaves Eric Bittle standing there on the ice blinking in confusion and skates over to where he left his phone, quickly calling George and asking her to put everything in motion. He’s glad she doesn’t ask why, just takes him at his word that he’s finally ready. He knows tomorrow he will have to do a short press-conference, but all the important people in his life already know. He skates back to Bittle.

“So, dinner?”

“Uh, sure. Is it a... date?” Bittle still looks a little confused.

“Yes. Uh. If you want it to be?” Jack suddenly freezes, because Bittle might have a boyfriend, or not be interested in him, or _so many things._ Oh fuck, _what has he done???_

“Oh, I... definitely would like it to be.”

(As best man at their wedding Tater totally takes all the credit for arranging their initial meeting).


End file.
